


If The World Was Ending

by DesiredPerfection



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, End of the World, Exes, Holding Hands, Implied/Referenced Sex, Kissing, M/M, Not Beta Read, Not Really Character Death, Post-Break Up, Preconstructions, Reminiscing, Songfic, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28772547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesiredPerfection/pseuds/DesiredPerfection
Summary: Nines and Gavin have tried their best to move on from each other, doing everything they can to forget one another.On a particular rainy day, their thoughts overflow.songfic; “if the world was ending”
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	If The World Was Ending

**Author's Note:**

> Admittedly, I loved you a little too late.

**[I was distracted and in traffic]**

Nines let out a long sigh, peering outside of the window, glancing at the murky gray skies. It seemed the traffic wouldn’t clear up anytime soon and there was a high probability that it would begin to rain soon. He just wanted to get home already, forget about the miserable day he’s had at work. While he had made the decision to transfer out of the precinct nearly a year ago, he still had difficulties adjusting to his new work environment.

He had chosen to take up the position he had been offered, to work with Captain Allen as a SWAT member shortly after his relationship had concluded with Detective Reed. It was frustrating to even work with one another and the android knew that if he wanted to salvage anything at all, it'd be best to no longer work together. 

It pained Nines to take up the position, but given the lack of response from the detective, he could only assume that the man no longer cared. 

**[I didn't feel it when the earthquake happened]**

His thoughts quickly began to wander to his former lover, wondering why things hadn’t turned out differently, what he could have done differently to have changed the outcome. However, every possibility he had constructed always led to the same bitter outcome, where they’d eventually split apart from each other, messy and angry, unable to look at one another. 

Nines wanted everything back, he wanted to go back to the time where they were hopelessly in love with one another, when everything was good, almost perfect.

The murky skies almost represented the heaviness in his heart, while others had urged him to try dating once again, he didn’t want to. Watching his former relationship fall apart before him left him drained, and unsure if he’d be enough of a partner for anyone.

Nines didn’t want anybody else.

He wanted Gavin.

While his sensors had informed him of an earthquake occuring, he hardly felt it, drowned with countless thoughts of the detective, of what could have gone differently.

**[But it really got me thinkin', were you out drinkin'?]**

Would Gavin be out drinking now?

Maybe he would be, Nines wasn’t too sure. He wasn’t aware of what the detective was up to nowadays and perhaps, it was for the best. It’d likely be seen as obsessive if he kept tabs on how his former lover was doing and besides, hadn’t the android told himself to make his peace with ending their relationship? Hell, the only reason he had decided to work with SWAT was because he hadn’t wanted the detective to be uncomfortable around him, like he had been after their breakup. 

It was for the best, right?

He occasionally heard about him from Connor and was quick to tell his predecessor to not bring him up as much, almost teary-eyed as he knew he could never work with the detective again. 

He’d never see Gavin again.

**[Were you in the living room, chillin’, watchin' television?]**

Maybe Gavin was already over it, over him. 

He likely returned to his old routines, watching old shows and cuddling with his cats. It makes Nines almost wish that he was one of the man’s cats instead if it meant that he could be with him.

It’s one of the most pathetic thoughts he’s ever had.

**[It's been a year now]**

How long will Nines continue to grieve over a relationship that’s been over for a year? 

He doesn’t know when he’ll be able to move on, if he’ll be able to move on. It’s the uncertainty that has always plagued him and he has done everything in his power to distract himself from thinking about the detective, often taking up extra shifts at his workplace, diving deep into his zen garden to step aside from his reality yet nothing has worked. 

**[Think I've figured out how to let you go and let communication die out]**

Nines could let him go forever, erase the man from his memories and cease communication with anyone in contact with Gavin. It wouldn’t be easy, but it would lift the heaviness from his chest, allowing him to be functional once again. He would be free to pursue relationships with others, to move on and yet the thought of doing such a thing in a desperate attempt to get over the detective struck him as wrong.

He doesn’t want to cease his friendship with his predecessor, with the few other officers he occasionally talks to.

But most importantly, he doesn’t want to forget Gavin.

**[I know, you know, we know]**

They knew that it wouldn’t have lasted yet still chose to pursue a relationship with one another, hoping that it would.

But it never does.

**[You weren't down for forever and it's fine]**

_“But I’m unsure if we’ll last, Nines,” Gavin scratched the back of his neck, his gaze shifting from Nines to the floor before murmuring under his breath, “You know me, I’ll always find some way or another to fuck it up.”_

_Nines took a step closer, his hands reaching out to grasp the detective’s smaller ones in his own, intertwining their fingers together, tightly, as if to reassure him._

“ _I’m uncertain of our future but right now, I know that I’d like to be with you,” the android is quick to say, his gaze falling down on the detective’s lips as he continued, “Despite all the hardships we may possibly face in the future, I want to pursue this with you, no matter what the outcome may be.”_

_“Okay,” the detective said._

_“Okay?” Nines questioned, confused with the man’s response._

_“I said okay, tin can. We’ll see how it goes, yeah?” he grinned, before squeezing the android’s hands, feeling a bit better._

_“Of course.”_

**[I know, you know, we know]**

They knew it wouldn’t last.

It only took a few months before everything started to fall apart. 

**[We weren't meant for each other and it's fine]**

With the lack of communication and not to mention the numerous issues present within their relationship, they were bound to eventually fall apart. Their relationship wasn’t the healthiest by any means but it hadn’t been the worst, they just needed to work on expressing how they felt, being there for one another instead of being absent. They tried, they both desperately wanted it to work at one point but it always - always kept falling apart.

It was tiring.

Nines was tired of hurting, and he knew that their diminishing relationship was hurting the detective as well.

Why maintain a relationship that causes nothing but misery for both parties?

Gavin wanted everything to stop, he wanted this to work but it had gotten to the point where it was no longer repairable.

So the detective did what he had to, broke things off. 

**[But if the world was ending, you’d come over, right?]**

Nines often entertained the idea of seeing the detective once again in the most unusual circumstances, one of his preconstructions being what they would do if the world was ending. He imagines himself to be the one that the detective would want to spend his last day with, even as much as they’d bicker, fight with one another, they’d end up reconciling, putting their differences aside. He hopes that the detective has been struggling just as much as he has following their breakup as cruel as it sounds.

He wants their feelings to be [mutual].

He wants Gavin to show up at his door, a brief yet passionate kiss shared between the two former lovers before they begin to argue once again however manage to reconcile this time, putting their differences aside and catching up on what has occurred in the other’s life.

Eventually, they’d come to the realization that each and every argument had been stupid, that they were unnecessary and if they had just _communicated_ , maybe they would have still been together, maybe they would have never split up in the first place.

They cannot change their past but they’ll reflect on it despite that, finally putting their pride aside and apologize for the damage they’ve both done.

They would make up.

**[You'd come over and you'd stay the night]**

“It’s getting late,” Nines would announce and his lover would merely laugh, before standing on his tippy-toes, pressing a small kiss to the android’s lips, insistent and needy, letting him know just how much he’s missed him. He imagined standing there, wide-eyed, before quickly adjusting, his hands slowly finding their rightful place as he’d pull him close, treasuring every moment of it.

“I’ve missed you, Nines,” Gavin would mutter under his breath after their lips withdrew, breaking off the string of saliva connecting them.

“I’ve missed you too,” he’d admit, before claiming the detective’s lips once more, his eyes filled with adoration and love. It would be sloppy, uncoordinated, and yet both of them would enjoy every moment of it, because they were with one another, like they had wanted for months.

“Stay, stay _please_ ,” he imagined himself begging for the detective to stay.

“I promise I won’t leave, Nines.”

**[Would you love me for the hell of it?]**

He imagined the detective wouldn’t think about their future and instead, live in the moment, cherishing each and every last second. There is nothing more to come of this after tomorrow, when they’re both no longer breathing, as the world ends, taking both of them. They’ll be happy to have reconciled with one another as they wait for their imminent deaths, fingers intertwined with one another, smiling despite knowing that they’d die soon.

He wants to be loved in his last moments and god, he wants the person he spends his last moments with to be Gavin.

Despite how badly they’re doing now, he knew that he would choose the detective in a heartbeat. It is hardly a choice, when the only person he has ever felt like this has been Gavin. 

“I love you,” he’d whisper under his breath.

“I love you too.” 

**[All our fears would be irrelevant]**

There would be no fear of losing one another when they would die in each other’s arms, happy that they had chosen to spend their last moments with another.

All their other fears would be deemed as trivial as nothing could ruin this, being together despite the bitter end.

**[If the world was ending, you’d come over, right?]**

Gavin would.

In the android’s preconstructions, at least.

**[The sky'd be falling and I'd hold you tight]**

His arms would be wrapped tightly around the detective’s waist and Gavin would be quick to protest that spooning him was not exactly the way he wanted to go out, forcing Nines to reluctantly shift positions, allowing them to not only hold each other but face each other as well. His gaze would fall on the detective’s, pressing one last chaste kiss, squeezing him tightly as the timer ticked down.

They would die soon.

**[And there wouldn't be a reason why we would even have to say goodbye]**

There are no sweet goodbyes exchanged between the two as they are dying together, wearing sad smiles as the timer inches closer to zero.

**[If the world was ending, you’d come over, right?]**

His former lover would come over and they’d make up, putting it all behind them.

**[Right?]**

Yes.

**[If the world was ending, you’d come over, right?]**

His lover would come over and they’d exchange kisses, lying in each another’s arms as the world ends.

**[Right?]**

Yes.

* * *

**[I tried to imagine to imagine your reaction]**

Gavin was exhausted, he had finally gotten home after a long shift and barely greeted his cats once he stepped through the door. Of course, he felt like a neglectful owner but quickly decided that he could make it up to the fuckers sometime later as he wasn’t in the mood. He couldn’t figure out why today had been such a bad day, why he was even struggling to make it through, like it held some sort of upsetting memory to him or something.

He glanced up at the calendar, trying to figure what day it was and why the date seemed to be upsetting for him.

It took him a while but then it finally hit him. 

How could he forget? 

It had been exactly a year since his relationship with Nines had ended.

He tried to imagine if Nines remembered, if he felt anything, likely disgusted, having dated someone like Gavin who had practically driven the relationship into the ground with his insecurities.

**[It didn't scare me when the earthquake happened]**

His mind was swept up with thoughts of Nines, as he laid in bed, wrapped in numerous blankets, barely registering the ground before him beginning to shake. 

He shrugged it off as nothing before remembering the news forecast for a small earthquake in the following days. It hardly mattered though as his mind was occupied with his last encounter with Nines, wondering if he should have said something different.

_“It was nice working with you, detective,” Nines sounded cold, distant and not at all like the android he had gotten to know over the past few months but how could he expect for the android to greet him with the warmth he used to? They were no longer lovers, nothing would be the same as it used to._

_“Yeah, it’s been nice,” he casually replied, not bothering to shift his eyes off his monitor, feeling his eyes beginning to water as he wished to protest against the android taking up the position to work elsewhere._

With that, Nines was gone.

**[But it really got me thinkin' that night we went drinkin']**

He remembered one of their happiest memories with one another, when android alcohol was now on the market and the detective had proposed going to a bar which welcomed both human and android customers, in order to try it out. While Nines was reluctant to give it a shot, with a little persistence from the detective, he was quick to give in.

They had both gotten totally wasted, and could barely keep their hands off each other, eventually getting kicked out of the bar.

**[Stumbled in the house and didn't make it past the kitchen]**

_“Nines, you horny fucking dog!” Gavin was quick to yell out as the android wrapped his arms around the detective, his head dipping down, pressing kisses against the man’s neck, pressing himself up against the man, rolling his hips, a soft moan tumbling from the android’s lips from the delicious friction._

_Any protest that Gavin had died immediately when Nines pressed his lips against his._

_He immediately relaxed, practically melting into the kiss, a soft smile gracing his features once their lips parted, “Fine, we can do it here, Nines.”_

**[Ah, it's been a year now]**

It’s been a year since they ended their relationship and while Gavin has been able to distract himself from missing what they had, his mind does occasionally linger to their former relationship and what he could have done differently. If he had done this and that, would Nines still be with him today?

It’s a silly thought, he’s quick to convince himself.

Nothing would take them back to their happier days and he knew that, which is why he hadn’t bothered to even hide his distaste following their breakup. He didn’t want to pretend that they were okay, that they were fine, that they could still be just friends with the bitter taste in his mouth. 

He didn't want to pretend.

Maybe he should have, if it meant that Nines would still be here with him today, even if it wasn’t as a lover.

As a friend.

**[Think I've figured out how to think about you without it rippin' my heart out]**

When Gavin thought about Nines, it used to be pathetic and angry, wondering why the android hadn’t done more for the both of them. Eventually, he came to realize that he hadn’t been great with the relationship either and his anger quickly subsided, as he was no longer frustrated with Nines but instead, himself. ****

He wondered why he let Nines go. ****

They were miserable together, Gavin convinced himself. ****

Just like every good thing in his life, he’s somehow managed to break this too, shatter it into a million pieces, irreparable. ****

 **[I know, you know, we know]** ****

He knew that it wouldn’t last. ****

He let his insecurities get the better of him, clawed the relationship to shreds, until there was essentially nothing left.

 **[You weren't down for forever and it's fine]** ****

_“Gavin?” Nines murmured softly, his arms wrapped around the man’s waist, and the detective stirred upon hearing the android’s low voice, finally opening his eyes, squinting at the light that peaked through the window._ ****

_“Hm?” he yawned, rubbing his eyes._

_“This is quite nice,” the android whispered, “Even if it’s not forever.”_ ****

_Upon hearing those words, the detective immediately tensed up before remembering what he had said when they had first gotten together, that it most likely wouldn’t last. Hearing the words escape from the android’s lips was painful and he went silent, wishing that he had the right words for that._ ****

_He wished that it was forever._ ****

_“Live in the present, tin can.” Gavin choked out the words, hiding his face from the android, so that Nines would be unable to see his eyes beginning to water._ ****

**[I know, you know, we know]** ****

They both knew it wouldn’t last. ****

Not forever. ****

**[We weren't meant for each other and it's fine]**

Of course, they weren’t meant for each other. If they were, they would have tried to make things work and it would have been fine, but everything had fallen apart instead and as much as they both wanted things to be like how they used to be, it wouldn't happen. It was already too late to salvage the remains of their relationship, having burnt so much of it already.

It was better to let it go.

**[But if the world was ending, you’d come over, right?]**

It’s a silly hypothetical that would never happen but the detective still takes comfort in one of his daydreams where they’d see each other once again, in one of the most cheesiest ways possible, where the world would end before them and given their unhappiness with their current relationship, one of them would end up at the other’s door.

Gavin always believed it would be him who would cave into his emotions, showing up unannounced and quick to press a kiss to the android’s lips, hoping that the android missed him equally as much.

He’d come over to the android’s apartment, just to spend his last moments with Nines.

**[You'd come over and you'd stay the night]**

He wants to spend all his last hours with Nines.

He doesn’t want to leave.

**[Would you love me for the hell of it?]**

He knows that Nines wouldn’t.

He’s convinced himself that Nines has already moved on from him, given how quickly the android had taken up the offer to work elsewhere. It was abrupt, out of the blue and Gavin was left to deal with the loss of not only his partner, but a friend as well.

One that he’d never have again.

**[All our fears would be irrelevant]**

He’s unsure of specifics within the scenario he’s dreamed about, however, he knows that they would lie in each other’s arms, forgetting about all their fears as they laid with one another, soft smiles on both of their faces. They’d be happy to be with one another despite knowing that they would be gone the next day.

They’d cherish each and every last second with each other.

**[If the world was ending]**

But this was only if the world was ending. 

Gavin doubted that they’d ever share tender moments like those ever again.

**[You'd come over, right?]**

He would come over, if everything was on the line.

He would go to the person he loves dearly, and spend his last hours with him.

**[The sky'd be falling while I'd hold you tight]**

He would hold Nines tightly, enveloped in the warmth of each other’s arms, making up for the months they had spent away from one another. 

Reminiscing about happier times, but thankful that they could spend their last moments with each other.

**[No, there wouldn't be a reason why we would even have to say goodbye]**

There are no goodbyes that would be uttered from their lips as they lay together. He’s certain that wherever they go after this, that they’ll remain together till the very end.

He’s certain that their lives together won’t just end when the timer hits zero, when the world ends.

**[If the world was ending, you’d come over, right?]**

Gavin’s unsure of what had came over him as he threw the blankets off him, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand and picking up his jeans from the floor, quick to put them on once more, grabbing his leather jacket from the coat rack before heading to the living room.

They could still - still make it work.

He was certain of it.

Slamming the door shut, he left his apartment.

**[You'd come over, right?]**

He drove.

He would.

He would come over.

**[You'd come over, you'd come over, you'd come over, right?]**

The detective ringed the doorbell, his fingers fidgeting with one another as he waited for the android to open the door and when the door twisted open, he held his breath, finally seeing Nines after all these months.

“You - you’re here,” Nines sounded almost surprised but certainly not unwelcoming, the door widening slightly.

“Of course I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> Me: *needs a beta*  
> Also me: I will not ask for one because “the man breath” and “as he as their” is stupid and funny.
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. :)


End file.
